Thin film transistor array panel and method for manufacturing the same

ABSTRACT

A thin film transistor substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: an insulation substrate; a gate line formed on the insulation substrate; a first interlayer insulating layer formed on the gate line; a data line and a gate electrode formed on the first interlayer insulating layer; a gate insulating layer formed on the data line and gate electrode; a semiconductor formed on the gate insulating layer and overlapping the gate electrode; a second interlayer insulating layer formed on the semiconductor; a first connection formed on the second interlayer insulating layer and electrically connecting the gate line and the gate electrode to each other; a drain electrode connected to the semiconductor; a pixel electrode connected to the drain electrode; and a second connection connecting the data line and the semiconductor to each other.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/556,277 filed on Sep. 9, 2009, which claims priority to and thebenefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2008-0125449 filed in theKorean Intellectual Property Office on Dec. 10, 2008. The entirecontents of each application are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present invention generally relates to thin film transistor arraysand, more particularly, to a thin film transistor substrate and a methodfor its manufacture.

2. Related Art

A thin film transistor (TFT) substrate is generally used as a circuitboard for independently driving each pixel in a liquid crystal display(LCD)or an organic light emitting display (OLED) device. The thin filmtransistor substrate includes a scanning signal line (or a gate signalline) transmitting a scanning signal, an image signal line (or a datasignal line) transmitting an image signal, and a thin film transistorconnected to the gate signal line and the data signal line.

With an increase in size and resolution of the liquid crystal display,resistance of the metal wiring such as the gate signal line and the datasignal line formed in the thin film transistor substrate is increasedsuch that an RC (resistor-capacitor time constant) delay is generated.To reduce the resistance of the metal wiring, a method using copper as ametal having low resistance has been developed.

The copper wiring reacts with the organic layer, however, such that theorganic material is adsorbed on the surface of the signal wiring. Ifthis phenomenon is generated on the gate electrode when forming the gatewire made of the copper material, display deterioration may occur.

The above information disclosed in this Background section is only forenhancement of understanding of the background of the invention andtherefore it may contain information that does not form the prior artthat is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill inthe art.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present invention provide a thin film transistorsubstrate and a method of manufacturing the substrate including copperwiring that may not be influenced when used with an organic layer.

A thin film transistor substrate according to an embodiment of thepresent invention includes: an insulation substrate; a gate line formedon the insulation substrate; a first interlayer insulating layer formedon the gate line; a data line and a gate electrode formed on the firstinterlayer insulating layer; a gate insulating layer formed on the dataline and gate electrode; a semiconductor formed on the gate insulatinglayer and overlapping the gate electrode; a second interlayer insulatinglayer formed on the semiconductor; a first connection formed on thesecond interlayer insulating layer and electrically connecting the gateline and the gate electrode to each other; a drain electrode connectedto the semiconductor; a pixel electrode connected to the drainelectrode; and a second connection connecting the data line and thesemiconductor to each other.

The pixel electrode, the drain electrode, and the first and secondconnections may be formed of the same material. The pixel electrode andthe drain electrode may be formed as one body. The first interlayerinsulating layer may be made of an organic insulating material. The gateline may include a copper layer. The gate line may further include aseed layer formed under the copper layer. The seed layer may be made ofTi or Ni. The semiconductor may be made of an oxide semiconductor. Thesemiconductor may be made of an oxide semiconductor including at leastone of Zn, Ga, Sn, Hf, and In. A storage electrode line formed on thefirst interlayer insulating layer and parallel to the data line may befurther included. The storage electrode line may include a plurality ofstorage electrodes extending from the storage electrode line. A storageelectrode line formed on the insulation substrate and parallel to thegate line may be further included. The storage electrode line formed onthe insulation substrate and parallel to the gate line may include aplurality of protrusions extending from the storage electrode line. Acapacitive conductor formed on the first interlayer insulating layer andconnected to the storage electrode line formed on the insulationsubstrate and parallel to the gate line may be further included. A thirdconnection formed on the second interlayer insulating layer andconnecting the storage electrode line formed on the insulation substrateand parallel to the gate line and the capacitive conductor to each othermay be further included. The third connection may be made of the samematerial as the pixel electrode. A storage electrode line formed on theinsulation substrate and parallel to the gate line, a capacitiveconductor formed on the first interlayer insulating layer andoverlapping the pixel electrode, and a third connection formed on thesecond interlayer insulating layer and connecting the storage electrodeline and the capacitive conductor to each other may be further included.The second interlayer insulating layer may be made of silicon oxide orsilicon nitride.

A method of manufacturing a thin film transistor substrate according toan embodiment of the present invention includes: forming a gate line onan insulation substrate; forming a first interlayer insulating layer onthe gate line; forming a data line and a gate electrode on the firstinterlayer insulating layer; forming a gate insulating layer on the dataline and the gate electrode; forming a semiconductor overlapping thegate electrode on the gate insulating layer; forming a second interlayerinsulating layer on the semiconductor; and forming a first connectionelectrically connecting the gate line and the gate electrode to eachother on the second interlayer insulating layer, a pixel electrodeconnected to the semiconductor, and a second connection connecting thedata line and the semiconductor to each other.

The gate line may be made of copper through a sputtering or platingmethod. The semiconductor may be formed of an oxide including at leastone of Zn, Ga, Sn, Hf, and In. A storage electrode line parallel to thedata line may be formed on the first interlayer insulating layer in theforming of the data line and the gate electrode on the first interlayerinsulating layer. A storage electrode line parallel to the gate line maybe formed on the insulation substrate in the forming of the gate line onthe insulation substrate. A capacitive conductor overlapping the storageelectrode line formed on the insulation substrate may be formed on thefirst interlayer insulating layer in the forming of the data line andthe gate electrode on the first interlayer insulating layer, and a thirdconnection connecting the storage electrode line formed on theinsulation substrate and the capacitive conductor to each other may beformed on the second interlayer insulating layer in the forming of thefirst connection and the second connection.

As described above, in the thin film transistor substrate according toan embodiment of the present invention, the gate electrode is formed onthe organic insulator such that deterioration of the display generationdue to the adhesion of the organic material to the gate electrode may beprevented. Accordingly, a thin film transistor substrate of high qualitymay be provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a layout view of a thin film transistor substrate according toan embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II of FIG. 1according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III of FIG. 2according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 to FIG. 11 are cross-sectional views showing intermediate stepsin a manufacturing method of a thin film transistor substrate accordingto an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a layout view of a thin film transistor substrate accordingto another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XIII-XIII of FIG.12 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present invention will be described more fullyhereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in whichembodiments of the invention are shown. As those skilled in the artwould realize, the described embodiments may be modified in variousdifferent ways, all without departing from the spirit or scope of thepresent invention.

In the drawings, the thickness, for example, of layers, films, panels,and regions may be exaggerated for clarity. Like reference numeralsdesignate like elements throughout the specification. It will beunderstood that when an element such as a layer, film, region, orsubstrate is referred to as being “on” another element, it can bedirectly on the other element or intervening elements may also bepresent. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directlyon” another element, there are no intervening elements present.

A thin film transistor substrate according to an embodiment of thepresent invention will now be described with reference to FIG. 1 throughFIG. 3. FIG. 1 is a layout view of a thin film transistor substrateaccording to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is across-sectional view taken along the line II-II of FIG. 1; and FIG. 3 isa cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III of FIG. 2, inaccordance with one or more embodiments.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a gate line 121 is formed on atransparent substrate 110. The gate line 121 for transmitting gatesignals extends in a transverse direction, and includes an end portion129 having a wide width for connection to another layer or an externaldriving circuit. The gate line 121 may be made of Cu, and may be formedthrough sputtering or plating. When it is formed through plating, a seedlayer may be formed under the copper layer. The seed layer may be madeof Ti or Ni.

A first interlayer insulating layer 180 p is formed on the gate line121. The first interlayer insulating layer 180 p may be made of anorganic insulator that planarizes the substrate, and the organicinsulator may have photosensitivity and a dielectric constant of about4.0 or less.

A gate electrode 124, a storage electrode line 131, and a data line 171are formed on the first interlayer insulating layer 180 p. The gateelectrode 124, the storage electrode line 131, and the data line 171 maybe formed of a refractory metal such as molybdenum, chromium, tantalum,titanium, or an alloy thereof, and may have a multi-film structureincluding a refractory metal film (not shown) and a low resistanceconductive layer (not shown). Examples of the multilayer may be doublelayers including a chromium or molybdenum (alloy) lower layer and analuminum (alloy) upper layer, and triple layers including a molybdenum(alloy) lower layer, an aluminum (alloy) middle layer, and a molybdenum(alloy) upper layer. However, the data line 171 and the gate electrode124 may be made of various other metals or conductors.

The data line 171 for transmitting data voltages extends substantiallyin the longitudinal direction while intersecting the gate line 121, andincludes an end portion 179 for connecting to other layers or anexternal driving circuit. The storage electrode line 131 applied with apredetermined voltage extends parallel to the data line 171, therebyintersecting the gate line 121. The storage electrode line 131 includesa storage electrode 133 protruding right and left from the storageelectrode line 131.

A gate insulating layer 140 is formed on the gate electrode 124, thestorage electrode line 131, and the data line 171. The gate insulatinglayer 140 may be made of silicon oxide (SiO2) or silicon nitride (SiNx).

A semiconductor 154 is formed on the gate insulating layer 140. Thesemiconductor 154 is made of an oxide semiconductor. The semiconductor154 is made of an oxide basically including zinc (Zn), gallium (Ga), tin(Sn), or indium (In), or an oxide semiconductor of a composite oxidethereof such as zinc oxide (ZnO), indium-gallium-zinc oxide (InGaZnO4),indium-zinc oxide (Zn—In—O), or zinc-tin oxide (Zn—Sn—O). The oxidesemiconductor has low photosensitivity such that an additional lightblocking film for preventing light from being transmitted to thesemiconductor may not be necessary.

A second interlayer insulating layer 180 q is formed on thesemiconductor 154. The second interlayer insulating layer 180 q may bemade of an inorganic material such as silicon nitride and silicon oxide.The second interlayer insulating layer 180 q has first and secondcontact holes 185 a and 185 b exposing the semiconductor 154. The secondinterlayer insulating layer 180 q and the gate insulating layer 140 havecontact holes 184 and 183 b respectively exposing the data line 171 andthe gate electrode 124. The second interlayer insulating layer 180 q,the gate insulating layer 140, and the first interlayer insulating layer180 p have a contact hole 183 a exposing the gate line 121.

A pixel electrode 191 including a drain electrode 175, first and secondconnections 83 and 84, and contact assistants 81 and 82 are formed onthe second interlayer insulating layer 180 q. The drain electrode 175 isconnected to the semiconductor 154 through the contact hole 185 b, andthe drain electrode 175 may be made of the same material as the pixelelectrode 191 as one body. The first connection 83 connects the gateelectrode 124 and the gate line 121 to each other through the contactholes 183 a and 183 b, and the second connection 84 connects the dataline 171 and the semiconductor 154 to each other through the contactholes 184 and 185 a.

The gate electrode 124, the second connection 84, and the drainelectrode 175 form a thin film transistor (TFT) Q along with thesemiconductor 154. The second connection 84 is used as a sourceelectrode of the thin film transistor Q. The channel of the thin filmtransistor Q is formed in the semiconductor 154 between the secondconnection 84 and the drain electrode 175.

The signal of the gate line 121 is transmitted to the gate electrode 124through the first connection 83, and the signal of the data line 171 istransmitted to the semiconductor 154 through the second connection 84.If the gate signal is transmitted (e.g., present), the data signal istransmitted to the pixel electrode 191 through the second connection 84.

The pixel electrode 191, the first and second connections 83 and 84, andthe contact assistants 81 and 82 may be made of a transparent conductiveoxide such as ITO (indium-tin-oxide) or IZO (indium-zinc-oxide). In anembodiment of the present invention, the semiconductor is made of theoxide semiconductor that can be an ohmic contact such that the oxidesemiconductor 154 is contacted directly to the conductive oxide formingthe pixel electrode 191. The pixel electrode 191 overlaps the storageelectrode line 131 and the storage electrode 133, thereby forming astorage capacitor.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the first interlayerinsulating layer 180 p is made of the organic material to form (e.g.,cover) the gate line 121 made of copper having low resistance and tosmooth a step due to the thickness of the copper layer. Also, the firstinterlayer insulating layer 180 p is made of the organic material suchthat parasitic capacitance due to the gate line 121 is eliminated,thereby reducing the signal delay of the gate line 121.

Also, in an embodiment of the present invention, the gate electrode 124is formed on the first interlayer insulating layer 180 p such thatcontamination of the gate electrode 124 by the organic material of thefirst interlayer insulating layer 180 p may be prevented, therebyreducing the deterioration of the display quality.

Next, a method of manufacturing a thin film transistor substrate will bedescribed with reference to FIG. 4 through FIG. 11 as well as FIG. 2 andFIG. 3. FIG. 4 to FIG. 11 are cross-sectional views showing intermediatesteps in a method of manufacturing a thin film transistor substrateaccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, a gate line 121 including an end portion129 is formed on a substrate 110. A copper layer is deposited through asputtering method and is patterned to form the gate line 121. The copperlayer may be formed through an electroplating process or electrolessplating (also known as chemical or auto-catalytic plating). In oneembodiment, the copper is plated on a seed layer.

As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, an organic material is coated on the gateline 121 to form the first interlayer insulating layer 180 p. The firstinterlayer insulating layer 180 p planarizes the substrate. Next, ametal is deposited on the first interlayer insulating layer 180 p andpatterned to form a gate electrode 124, a storage electrode line 131,and a data line 171 including an end portion 179.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a gate insulating layer 140 is formed on thegate electrode 124, the storage electrode line 131, and the data line171. The gate insulating layer 140 may be made of silicon oxide (SiO2)or silicon nitride (SiNx).

Next, a semiconductor 154 is formed on the gate insulating layer 140. Anoxide including, for example, zinc (Zn), gallium (Ga), tin (Sn), orindium (In), or an oxide semiconductor of a composite oxide thereof—suchas zinc oxide (ZnO), indium-gallium-zinc oxide (InGaZnO4), indium-zincoxide (Zn—In—O), or zinc-tin oxide (Zn—Sn—O)— may be deposited andpatterned to form the semiconductor 154. As shown in FIG. 10 and FIG.11, the second interlayer insulating layer 180 q is formed on thesemiconductor 154. The second interlayer insulating layer 180 q may bemade of silicon oxide or silicon nitride. Next, the second interlayerinsulating layer 180 q, the gate insulating layer 140, and the firstinterlayer insulating layer 180 p are etched to form the first andsecond contact holes 185 a and 185 b exposing the semiconductor 154,contact holes 184 and 183 b exposing the data line 171 and the gateelectrode 124, and a contact hole 183 a exposing the gate line 121.

Next, as shown in FIG. 1, a transparent conductive layer is formed onthe second interlayer insulating layer 180 q, and is patterned to form apixel electrode 191 connected to the semiconductor 154 through thecontact hole 185 b; as well as the first connection 83 connected to thegate electrode 124 and the gate line 121 through the contact holes 183 aand 183 b; the second connection 84 connected to the data line 171 andthe semiconductor 154 through the contact holes 184 and 185 a; and thecontact assistants 81 and 82 connected to the end portions 129 and 179of the gate line 121 and the data line 171 through contact holes 181 and182.

FIG. 12 is a layout view of a thin film transistor substrate accordingto another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 13 is across-sectional view taken along the line XIII-XIII of FIG. 12 inaccordance with an embodiment.

The layered structure of the thin film transistor substrate of FIGS. 12and 13 is almost the same as that of the first embodiment, shown in FIG.1 through FIG. 3. In the second embodiment, shown in FIG. 12 and FIG.13, the storage electrode line 131 is formed with the same layer as thegate line, differently from the first embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 12 and FIG. 13, a gate line 121, having an end portion129, and a storage electrode line 131 are formed on a transparentinsulation substrate 110. The storage electrode line 131 includes aprotrusion 134 for connection with other layers.

The gate line 121 and the storage electrode line 131 are made of Cu, andmay be formed through sputtering or plating. When forming throughplating, a seed layer may be formed under the copper layer. The seedlayer may be made of Ti or Ni.

The first interlayer insulating layer 180 p is formed on the gate line121. A gate electrode 124, a capacitive conductor 177, and a data line171 are formed on the first interlayer insulating layer 180 p. The dataline 171 includes an end portion 179 having a wide area and extends inthe longitudinal direction, thereby intersecting the gate line 121. Thecapacitive conductor 177 includes a protrusion overlapping the storageelectrode line 131.

A gate insulating layer 140 is formed on the gate electrode 124, thecapacitive conductor 177, and the data line 171. An oxide semiconductor154 is formed on the gate insulating layer 140, and the secondinterlayer insulating layer 180 q is formed on the semiconductor 154.

The second interlayer insulating layer 180 q has first and secondcontact holes 185 a and 185 b exposing the semiconductor 154. The secondinterlayer insulating layer 180 q and the gate insulating layer 140 havecontact holes 184, 183 b, and 186 b exposing, respectively, the dataline 171, the gate electrode 124, and the capacitive conductor 177. Thesecond interlayer insulating layer 180 q, the gate insulating layer 140,and the first interlayer insulating layer 180 p have contact holes 183 aand 186 a exposing, respectively, the gate line 121 and the storageelectrode line 131.

A pixel electrode 191, first to third connections 83, 84, and 86, andcontact assistants 81 and 82 are formed on the second interlayerinsulating layer 180 q. The pixel electrode 191 is connected to thesemiconductor 154 through the contact hole 185 b, the first connection83 is connected to the gate electrode 124 and the gate line 121 throughthe contact holes 183 a and 183 b; the second connection 84 is connectedto the data line 171 and the semiconductor 154 through the contact holes184 and 185 a; and the third connection 86 is connected to the storageelectrode line 131 and the capacitive conductor 177 through the contactholes 186 a and 186 b. The pixel electrode 191, the first and secondconnections 83 and 84, and the contact assistants 81 and 82 may be madeof a transparent conductive oxide such as ITO or IZO.

Differently from the first embodiment, the storage electrode line 131 isformed with the same layer as the gate line 121, and the capacitiveconductor 177 connected to the storage electrode line 131 is formedbetween the storage electrode line 131 and the pixel electrode 191.Accordingly, the voltage transmitted to the capacitive conductor 177through the connection 86 from the storage electrode line 131 forms acapacitance along the pixel electrode 191 by using the gate insulatinglayer 140 and the second interlayer insulating layer 180 q as adielectric material.

The thin film transistor substrate for the liquid crystal displayaccording to the second embodiment may be made through the same methodas the first embodiment shown in FIG. 4 to FIG. 11.

For example, the gate line 121 is formed on the substrate 110, the firstinterlayer insulating layer 180 p is formed on the gate line 121; thedata line 171 and the gate electrode 124 are formed on the firstinterlayer insulating layer 180 p; the gate insulating layer 140 isformed on the data line 171 and the gate electrode 124; thesemiconductor 154 is formed on the gate insulating layer 140; the secondinterlayer insulating layer 180 q is formed on the semiconductor 154;the contact holes 181, 182, 183 a, 183 b, 184, 185 a, and 185 b areformed in the gate insulating layer 140; and the first and secondinterlayer insulating layers 180 p and 180 q, the first and secondconnections 83 and 84, and the pixel electrode 191 are formed on thesecond interlayer insulating layer 180 q.

However, differently from the first embodiment, in the secondembodiment, the storage electrode line 131 is formed along with the gateline 121, and the capacitive conductor 177 is additionally formed alongwith the data line 171. Also, the contact holes 186 a and 186 b exposingthe storage electrode line 131 and the capacitive conductor 177 areformed when forming the contact holes 181, 182, 183 a, 183 b, 184, 185a, and 185 b. The third connection 86 connected to the storage electrodeline 131 and the capacitive conductor 177 through the contact holes 186a and 186 b is formed along with the first and second connections 83 and84. While embodiments of this invention have been described inconnection with what is presently considered to be practicalembodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited tothe disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to covervarious modifications and equivalent arrangements included within thespirit and scope of the appended claims.

1. A thin film transistor substrate comprising: an insulation substrate;a gate line formed on the insulation substrate, wherein the gate lineincludes a copper layer; a first interlayer insulating layer formed onthe gate line; a data line and a gate electrode formed on the firstinterlayer insulating layer; a gate insulating layer formed on the dataline and gate electrode; a semiconductor formed on the gate insulatinglayer and overlapping the gate electrode, wherein the semiconductor ismade of an oxide semiconductor; a second interlayer insulating layerformed on the semiconductor; a first connection formed on the secondinterlayer insulating layer and electrically connecting the gate lineand the gate electrode to each other; a drain electrode connected to thesemiconductor; a pixel electrode connected to the drain electrode; asecond connection connecting the data line and the semiconductor to eachother; and a storage electrode line formed on the insulation substrateand parallel to the gate line.
 2. The thin film transistor substrate ofclaim 1, wherein the storage electrode line includes a plurality ofprotrusions extending from the storage electrode line.
 3. The thin filmtransistor substrate of claim 1, further comprising a capacitiveconductor formed on the first interlayer insulating layer and connectedto the storage electrode line.
 4. The thin film transistor substrate ofclaim 3, further comprising a third connection formed on the secondinterlayer insulating layer and connecting the storage electrode lineand the capacitive conductor to each other.
 5. The thin film transistorsubstrate of claim 4, wherein the third connection is made of a samematerial as the pixel electrode.